


One Hundred More of These Days

by thewestmeadow



Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: Birthday, Dessert, F/M, Fluff, Italy, Kissing, One Shot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2020-01-31 11:13:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18590110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewestmeadow/pseuds/thewestmeadow
Summary: You're in Sicily with Luca on business. It's your birthday, but Luca doesn't know it. After finding out, he wants to treat you to something special.





	One Hundred More of These Days

**Author's Note:**

> Cento di questi giorni- One Hundred of These Days  
> An Italian birthday wish.

It was a bright spring afternoon, and you were waiting for Luca at the café where he usually met you in the afternoons for a brief respite from work. It had become a habit for the two of you, despite having known each other only a few months. You sipped a cappuccino and watched the people walking along the streets of Sicily. You thought of how at home Luca seemed here, despite having been raised in America.

Glancing at your watch, you noted his lateness and tried not to think too much of it. Luca kept unconventional hours, and his “family meetings” usually ran longer than anticipated. Yet he had mostly succeeded in being on time for his afternoon appointments with you.

Finally you saw him coming, and your heart gave a little jump as it always did when you laid eyes on him, even from a distance. He stood out, being taller than most of the others on the sidewalk, and today he was wearing a light summer suit in contrast to his usual attire. There was a dark, hurried look on his face. When he saw you, he bent down to kiss you on the cheek, taking your arm and squeezing it lightly. You caught the scent of his cologne: the familiar scent of Sicilian citrus with a hint of sandalwood, like an orange grove in the afternoon sun.

He sat down across from you, crossing his legs and ordering an espresso from the waiter. He immediately dug a toothpick from the pocket of his linen coat and began twirling it in his mouth. He was stressed.

“I don’t like to be late,” he admitted.

“You weren’t very late,” you responded.

“This fucking bullshit with the shipping company,” he burst out, “Someone’s lifting my goods before they even reach the States. There’s a fucking rat on the ship, I know it.”

He often took you into his confidence like this, without revealing the precise nature of his business, and it was flattering. More and more, though, he was beginning to let you in on some of his inner dealings, sensing your discretion and sensibility in such matters, and even seeking your advice. You sat back, sipping your cappuccino, as a warm breeze drifted down the bright streets.

Luca gave a long sigh. “Fucking exhausting.” With his dark brows knit together, he reached out and cupped your face briefly, brushing his soft thumb over your cheek. It was a small, loving gesture, nothing grand, but it touched your heart deeply nonetheless. He took a sip of his espresso and you saw some of the stress easing off of him as he gazed back at you.

“You know, Mother used to bring me to this café as a kid when we came to visit family. They make the best desserts in Sicily here. Almond granita. Like something out of a dream. I’d watch the chef all day sometimes. Maybe if I had grown up here instead of America, I could have become like him. A culinary artist.”

His face had grown soft, and he smiled distantly. The air was calm, and the passing chatter of the locals and tourists was pleasant.

“Let’s get something before you have to leave,” you suggested. But Luca was already on it. He lifted a hand to hail the waiter.

“ _Granita di mandorle- due.”_ He held up two fingers. The waiter nodded and stepped briskly inside the café. Luca leaned back in his chair, looking pleased. “You’re gonna die.”

“I hope not. It’s my birthday,” you laughed.

Luca’s face didn’t change right away. You watched with amusement as he grappled with a number of different emotions.

“You what?” he finally said.

“I didn’t anything. It’s my birthday today.”

He now looked at you with utter wonderment. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I don’t know. Don’t want to make a big deal out of it.”

He was shaking his head, laughing. “My god. You’re one surprise after another.”

You couldn’t help but grin back at him. The waiter was bringing out the granita in fine crystal glasses. Luca looked at you with his eyes glittering almost joyfully.

“I’ll be honest. If I could have chosen one birthday gift for you, it would be this granita. Couldn’t have planned it better.”

You smiled, taking the small silver spoon. The sweet, almond-flavored ice melted in your mouth.

“Pretend you’re eleven years old,” he said, “You’ve been in Sicily a week, coming to this café every day, by yourself, just for the experience of this granita.”

“I don’t even remember what I was doing at eleven years old.”

“Really?”

“Sometimes it feels like time is passing too fast. Even moments like this.”

Luca looked at you with empathy, but didn’t say anything. You finished your desserts in a comfortable silence. The chef came out to shake Luca’s hand and exchange a few words in Italian. You heard Luca say the word _compleanno—_ birthday. The chef had a weathered smile and clear, glowing skin. He gave you a little bow.

“ _Cento di questi giorni,”_ he said.

You looked at Luca for a translation.

“A hundred of these days,” Luca said, his voice soft.

The chef went back inside and the waiter cleared your dishes. Luca started to stand, tucking his toothpick in his pocket.

“Back to work?”

“Work’s about to be postponed.” He came close to you, bending down this time to kiss you on the lips. His were cold, but the inside of his mouth was warm and faintly sweet. Then he said in a low voice, “I hope you’re ready for the rest of your birthday. And a hundred more.”

**Author's Note:**

> So it's really my birthday tomorrow, and this fic was a little treat for myself to fight off some of the anxiety and existential crises that come with birthdays! It definitely worked. Hope you enjoy even if it's not your birthday :)


End file.
